Humane Society Institute for Science and Policy
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Pet Demographics: Evolving Numbers and Insights
No full textProducing accurate estimates of dog and cat populations around the world is much more challenging than one might expect
Las Vegas\u27 Last Tiger Show
No full textWild animal shows are losing public appeal and undermining conservation messages and efforts
The Life of Pei by Pei Feng Su
No full textThe “Life of Pei” tells the story of how the author, as a Taiwanese animal advocate, is making a difference for people, animals, and the environment
Australian Cats: Making a Difference
No full textThis article documents the positive impacts of humane urban cat management
Wildlife Personality
No full texthttps://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/animsent_gallery/1722/thumbnail.jp
Communication in noise is the window on cognition
No full textAs Griffin surmised, communication is the window on cognition, but as shown here, only if it is noisy. This commentary is an invitation to consider the full implications of the evolution of noisy communication. A combination of Information Theory, Signal Detection Theory, and Natural Selection, in a unified theory of the evolution of communication, reveals that noise is inevitable. All organisms are thus decision makers. Perception, thought, freedom of decision, self-awareness, metabolism, and natural selection all share the consequences of signals in noise. A full understanding of each requires attention to the errors of receivers. Griffin’s hunch is correct with one emendation: it is noisy communication that provides the window on cognition
Précis of: Birds, Bats and Minds: Tales of a Revolutionary Scientist, Donald R. Griffin
No full textDonald Griffin co-discovered bat sonar and founded the field of echolocation. He studied bird migration and founded Cognitive Ethology, the study of animal awareness and mental experiences. In all these endeavors, he faced hostile opposition. The biography (Ristau 2024) examines Griffin\u27s life and the scientific explorations by him and others in these fields. This Précis emphasizes his arguments and supporting evidence for animal consciousness as well as his later research. Griffin considered the inhibiting assumptions made by scientists, including Cartesian views, the misunderstanding of innate behaviors, prejudice against lower animals, concern with violations of parsimony, and the assertions of the philosopher Thomas Nagel about “inaccessible” science. Griffin proposed ways to gather evidence supporting animal consciousness: (1) neural correlates of consciousness, (2) the versatility of animal behavior in meeting novel challenges and (3) animal communication, which Griffin considered a potential “window” on animal minds. He pondered what is a truly neutral hypothesis about animal mental experience? What is it like to be a particular animal? and how can we gather evidence to answer that question
Animals and Healthy Ecosystems: It’s Complicated!
No full textWild animals, especially large animals, increase the biodiversity of ecosystems
Roadkill: Citizen Science at Work
No full textWildlife roadkill data began to be collected in the 1990s by citizen scientists and is now a global enterprise
A Circular Economy and “Feel Better”
No full textPlanetary boundaries are being exceeded. How do we convert to a circular economic system and planetary sustainability